Radiator header



Nov. 14, 1939. P. SAUNDERS RADIATOR HEADER Filed Jan. 14, 1938 Iinuentor @zdsnce @5411224545 9: Cittorneus Patented Nov. 14, 1939 I 2.17am

RADIATOR HEADER Laurence P. Saunders, Lookport, N. Y., assig'nor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich a corporation of Delaware Application January 14, 1938, Serial No. 184,960

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved header construction for a heat exchange unit. Among other things the invention enables one radiator structure to be used with two separate systems containing fluid requiring heat transfer. Accordingly one of the objects of the invention is to provide a dual tank assembly for each end of the core, one set of inlet and outlet chambers communicating through a group of core passages or tubes and the other set of chambers communieating with each other through another group of core tubes.

A further and important object is to provide a header assembly made from pressed sheet metal having suitable formations to afford a pair of separate manifold distributors. In a preferred embodiment two metal sheets are pressed to complemental shape so that when suitably joined in face to face relation they constitute an assembly to be fitted on the end of a core and wherein a pair of spaced tanks each have a number of lateral branches for connection with selected core passages.

For a better explanation of the invention reference may be made to the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a radiator assembly embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the improved header construction; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2 and Figure 4 is a detailed section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

In the drawing the radiator core is shown as comprising a stack of plates l-I provided with a number of aligned and nested tubular formations 2 which cooperate to provide a series of flow passages through the several plates and space the plates apart. Thus the plates constitute fins for the several tubes and the fins are exposed on both sides for wiping movement therewith of a heat transferring fluid, such as air. As is usual the opposite ends of the core assembly are provided with headers indicated generally at A and B. The top and bottom headers being substantially alike only one will be described specifically.

The header A includes a pair of spaced tanks offset forwardly and rearwardly of the core assembly and each having a series of branch passages extending laterally therefrom for communicating the respective headers with selected core tubes. In the present instance the header comprises a pair of complementary plates formed by stamping or pressing operations and brought together and joined in face to face relation. Thus the innermost plate 3 is formed along op posite sides with semicircular depressions 4 and 5 and the uppermost plate 6 has similar depressions l and 8 pressed in the opposite direction, thereby providing a chamber or tank between the cooperating formations 4 and l and another chamher or tank between the mating formations 5 and 8. Optionally the tank formations may be formed in only one of the plates and as will be apparent the tank may be of a shape other than 10 round, inasmuch as the circular tank has been adopted primarily because of its inherent strength and simplicity. 1

In the plate portions between'the spaced tanks there are formed in the innermost plate 5 a series respective core tubes with'the tank'along one side. Similar raised ribs or embossments H in the outermost plate 6 overlie the remaining tubu lar projections 9 andextend laterally from the tank formation 8 to communicate such tubes with the other tank. As shown particularly in Figure 2 the lateral branches Ill and I I of the two sets may be arranged in alternate relation. However, this arrangement and relation may be varied to suit particular installations but the alternate grouping has some advantages in that the succeeding ribs leading from opposite tanks impart strength to the assembly and furthermore the two different fluids to be cooled flow through neighboring core tubes. Consequently, if one of the fluids is 'extremely hot and requires cooling while the other fluid is cold and requires heating there will be some transfer of heat from neighboring tubes through the connecting fins.

This action may also be relied upon in an installation of the radiator as a part of an engine cooling system on airplanes or motor vehicles, where one set of passages are in the cooling system proper and the other set in the lubricating system. At the start of operation, thermostatically controlled shutters would exclude cooling air from the radiator for a quick warm up and during the warm up period the heat absorbed by the engine cooling liquid will transfer through the fin plates to the oil and thereby assist in the initial heating of the oil for its free flow.

In order to join the parts and seal the succeeding branch ducts from each other the contacting faces of the two plates are internally bonded as by means of solder or the like. For this purpose a fusible material may be introduced between the surfaces by capillarity or the contacting surface may be pro-tinned and later subjected to a brazing temperature. As a precaution against separation the edges of the sheets are turned one over the other as at l2 to afford a locked seam.

The opposite ends of the side tanks may be closed by suitable walls, such as a cup-shaped member, inserted and soldered into place and each tank may be provided with a fitting, not shown, by which it is to be coupled in a circulating system. Optionally but one end of the tank needs to be closed, as at I 3, in which case the opposite end may receive a coupling fitting for connection with the circulating system.

The header B at the opposite end of the core assembly is a substantial duplicate of the header A, the only difference being that in the case of the upper header the flanges 9 forming the tubular extensions are interiorly fitted into the aligned tube sections of the endmost plate whereas the corresponding tubular projections of the lower header would be of slightly larger width and receive the tubular portions of the lowermost plate of the core assembly. In both instances, a nested relation of the parts is had which resists displacement and enables a good seal to be made.

From the above description it will be seen that there is provided a dual tank header which can be manufactured at low cost and which in use combines two radiators in a single unit. When installed in a motor vehicle, for example, one set of inlet and outlet chambers together with their associated tubes may be incorporated in the engine cooling system and the other set in the engine lubricating system so that the fluids in both systems will be cooled by 'air drawn through the core in the usual fashion.

I claim:

1. In a heat exchanger having a series of spaced tubes, a header structure including a pair of superimposed plates having cooperating formations along opposite sides to form a pair of tanks, one of said plates having flanged openings for nested engagement with said tubes and the other plate having raised ribs aligned with said flanged openings, certain of said raised ribs communicating with one of said tanks and others of the raised ribs communicating with the other tank.

2. In a heat exchanger, a manifold distributor including a pair of superimposed plates adapted to be positioned over an end of a core assembly, one of said plates having openings for alignment with the core passages and the other having duct formations overlying said openings, a tank communicating with certain of said ducts and a second tank communicating with the remaining ducts.

3. In a heat exchanger, a manifold distributor comprising a plate to be positioned over the end of a core assembly and having flanged openings constructed for nested relation with the core passages, a complementary plate in face to face relation with the first mentioned plate and having duct formations overlying said flanged openings and a pair of headers, one communicating with certain of the ducts and the other communicating with the remaining ducts.

4. A header construction to he fitted on the end of a heat transfer core, including a pair of plates secured in face to face contact and provided with cooperating formations affording ducts, the formations in one plate including flanged openings for nesting relation with core passages and the formations in the other plate including embossed portions overlying said openings, and a pair of headers, one communicating with certain of the ducts and the other communicating with the remaining ducts.

5. A header construction to be fitted on the end of a heat transfer core, including a pair of sheet pressings having central plate portions secured in face to face contact and oppositely pressed formations along the sides, the formations in one pressing mating with those of the other pressing to afford a pair of headers, one of the plate portions having a group of raised ribs leading laterally from one of the headers and constituting branch ducts and a second group of raised ribs leading laterally from the other header to constitute branch ducts, and the other plate portion having a series of spaced openings aligned with said ducts.

6. A pressed metal header of the character described, including a pair of plates secured in face to face relation, one of said plates having a series of flanged openings therein and the other plate having raised ribs aligned with said flanged openings to afford ducts, outwardly pressed formations extending along opposite sides of the plates to provide a pair of headers, one of which communicates with certain of the ducts and the other communicates with other of the ducts.

'7. A pressed metal header of the character described including a pair of plates secured in face to face relation, outwardly pressed formations in at least one of the plates affording a pair of spaced chambers, a series of raised ribs in the outermost plate leading laterally from one of the chambers to afford branch ducts, a second series of raised ribs in the outermost plate leading laterally from the other chamber to afford branch ducts and a group of flanged openings in the innermost plate aligned with the several ducts.

8. A pressed metal header of the character described, including a pair of plates secured in face to face relation, a series of flanged openings in one of the plates, a series of raised ribs in the other plate overlying the flanged openings and constituting ducts, certain of which lead later ally in one direction and the others of which lead laterally in the opposite direction and outwardly pressed formations extending along opposite sides of said plates to afford a pair of spaced chambers. one communicating with one set of the ducts and the other communicating with the other set of ducts.

9. In a heat exchanger, a manifold distributor to be associated with an end of a core assembly comprising a pair of headers, a pair of plates extending between said headers and being joined face to face and adapted to overlie said end with the innermost plate having openings for align ment with the passages of the core assembly and the other plate having embossments over said openings constituting ducts. certain of which communicate with one of the headers and the other of which communicate with the other header.

LAURENCE P. SAUNDERS. 

